Happy late "defenders of the motherland" day!

Why am I so happy about "defenders of the motherland" day? Well many reasons actually. I know that I am not russian so this is not really my holiday to celebrate, but in a way I am a russian for the next little while. Now more than likely none of those who actually read this know what defenders of the motherland day is. Unless you actually pay attention. Because let's be honest it's pretty self-explanitory. Russians used to celebrate february 23rd as a celebration and a day to honor all men who were in the army, but now they celebrate and honor all men, even boys because they figure eventually all males will be in the army eventually. So you give gifts to all the men in your life on this day.

Now why is it that I appreciate this holiday soo much. Well last saturday I had the opportunity to go to victory park. Victory park is the place where Napoleon and his troops waited to get the keys to the city. They have amuseum there also that is dedicated to the wars russia has been in. Wars like WWII, The soviet war, and others. It really was a cool and interesting museum, but at the same time sad and depressing. It provoked a lot of thoughts in me. Thoughts such as gratitude to all the men in wars that have given their lives to save their people and country. Also it just reminds me that there is worse to come, and is helping me be awre so I can be prepared when more wars come.

Now the best reason of all that men's day (that's what they call it now) is so great, is that I had 2 extra days off of teaching! I love my kids and all but they really drain me sometimes! Plus I was able to go out and see and experience a little bit more of Russia!

So happy "defenders of the motherland" day! Man I can't wait till the next holiday!

A crazy day in Moscow!

Last Friday, (just a few days ago) I think I've experienced my craziest day since being in Russia! I experienced fear, stress, confusion, and many other feelings.

So early in the morning Gulya (our native coordinator) had planned for all of the moscow ILP groups to go to this university. All we really knew was that we were getting student cards so that we could get places cheaper and it also had something to do with our visas, because I guess they were student visas or something. Anyway and also Gulya was saying something about classes. All of us interpreted this as we would be taking a class at the university. But then the extreme confusion and shock came into place.

We got to the university and the next thing we know we were sitting in this room at the university and a russian lady was standing in front of us asking us the question, "what do YOU expect to do for US while your here?" That is when you look around the room to see blank and confused faces. Here we are hardly knowing why we are even here, and she was asking what we would do for them. Finally someone said we were under the impression that we might be taking a class, but later on she goes onto say that we will be teacher assistants at the university. Since we are native Americans they want us to be there to say things in normal english, because obviously english is a second language to these students. It was soo strange! Finally we left the room, got our student cards, and went back home.

However on the way home there was a guy with a long beard and shifty eyes sitting across from me. He just kept staring at me like he was thinking of how he would kill me or eat me! I was terrified! But I was sure he would get off before our stop, but he followed us off our stop and stood there for a minute until me and the girls went over to Gavin who was next to a security guard and then the guy left. Man that was lucky!

So then we went to lunch at the school, planned our lessons and taught. Holy cow teaching takes soo much energy and in a way it kind of stresses me out. My throat is always way dry from talking too much in catch-up, because you have to to get the kids to talk. Then finally that portion of the day was over.

After we got done teaching we decided we needed some cheering up because the week of teaching was soo rough, but at the same time we had to celebrate because we did make it through a full week of teaching, so off we headed to Red square!

Red Square looks soo cool at night! I loved it! Also there is this giant mall at red square! We went inside this mall the second day we were here, but we just walked through it. However when we were walking we passed a russian olympic apparel store. All of us wanted to go look in there! The stuff was way expensive. coats in there ranged from 500-1000 american dollars! you could get a hat for like 40 dollars though! We were sad! We figured it would be expensive, but not that expensive!

So then we decided to walk around red square some more and there was a bridge that went over a frozen river! I thought it sounded fun so we went up on the bridge! It was pretty cool! So at this point we didn't go all the way over the bridge. So the question was should we go back to red square or just back the other way, or just continue on. Everyone decided that I should make the decision, which in my opinion didn't make sense because they were all freexing, and I was actually pretty warm. Anyway I was feeling adventurous, so we went the rest of the way over the bridge. Then we couldn't find a metro, so we could go home! We were searching for the big red M. Soon we saw a big yellow M. Yes it was mcdonallds! Gavin in my group said that there had to be a metro close because mcdonalds was always by a metro. (he served a mission in moscow so he knows) Then as we got closer to the mcdnalds sure enough there was the big red M for the metro. So we were all going for it excited we found a metro. So we started walking for it.

But as we were walking towards it we were warped into a new world. It was really dark and there were people dressed really weird. So many drugged and drunk people and I seriously felt like I was in a spook alley or something, and wondered if I would make it out alive. Finally we did indeed make it inside the metro station and we got on the metreo and made it home safely.

1 week down!

I can't believe that this time last week, I was in Red square straining to keep my eyes open. While I thought Russia was awesome. I kept asking myself why I was here in Russia, what on earth possessed me to come half way around the world. And in just a week, my whole perspective has changed.

Now I feel like I have lived here forever, this feels like home. Now don't get me wrong I do still miss my family and friends back home, and water! I miss my bed and normal food. But everything here is great and a new experience.

Now this week, the only way we have been culturized to Russian culture is by the food. Everyday a new thing, while it is different it is also very good. Also they feed you a ton at meals. Also school food is gross in America, while in Russia, it is pretty good. Some of it is weird but it's good.

Now as far as lesson planning and teaching goes. It is extremely exhausting! But it will all be worth it in the end, my kids are soo cute and smart, but full of energy just as every kid is. I think it will be a great learning experience for me to learn how to teach these russian kids english.

I truly am having a good time, and I could not ask for a better group. We have soo much fun together. Even when the tiny elevator opens instead of the big one and we all squish in just for the fun of it!

Making it to Russia

It all began at 6:30 a.m. when I arrived to the salt lake city airport. I checked in my luggage, went through security and waited. Then finally we boarded the crowded plane and was scheduled to depart at 8:35 but people were still getting seated, and then our plane had to be de-iced. It was cool to watch! Then finally it was time to take off to New York. we got there about 4 hours later, That flight was not bad. then when we landed we had an hour layover, we had to go a long way through this airport to our next gate, my arms were tired and numb by the time we got there and then almost immediately we began boarding for our next flight. That plane was less crowded, but holy cow it was a long flight. I had a window seat and both flights. I couldn't sleep so occasionally I would open the window "blinds" and look out. Every time I looked out there was a light and I could not figure out what it was. then the girl next to me, Tianna woke up and I showed her, and she didn't know either. I said it doesn't really look like the sun or the moon, then we decided it was a giant night light. then we noticed a red flashing light coming from like above. Then Tianna made the connection and the mysterious light was on the wing on the plane. We thought it was hillarious! Then the rest of the flight was long and uneventful.

We arrived in Moscow at 10 am on friday. We took a taxi bus to our host families. I live right next to my head teacher and her husband. My host family is way nice the mom and dad were there to greet me as well as Masha their daughter who is 21, just like me. But Masha is the only one living here. The rest of the family lives in a country home. holy cow it is cold here! Yesterday they said it was a warm day. That means I'm in big trouble because I thought it was cold! Anyway I have been a lot of places in these past 2 days here in Russia, and I am way tired, and I'm still dizzy from the plane ride, yikes! but it's fun here so far!

It's coming!

My departure to the land of Moscow Russia is quickly approaching!!! Ahhh!!! My mind is going a million miles an hour trying to think of and remember all the things I need to take to Russia! It will be good though. I'm sure I will love it once I get past the first few days. I am to start my journey at 10:38 a.m. on Thursday January 28, 2010 when I will fly from salt lake city to Chicago. Then I will board another plane taking me to Dusseldorf, Germany. Then onto a 3rd and final plane to Moscow Russia. I will arrive there on January 29, 2010 at approximately 8:30 a.m. Then will begin my adventure.

Now if I can just stop those dreams of forgetting something or missing my fllight that would be just great! If not it's ok! Things will be good!

Once upon a time...

there was a girl who decided to go to Moscow Russia with ILP. Supposedly her adventure was to begin on Janary 29th 2010. Now after calculating this, this means this was to begin in just 18 days! That's right 18 days! But.... there was one dilemma, the program had not purchased the tickets to go to Russia yet! Did they not realize I was to quit my life in just 18 days and not even have a seat on a plane to Russia! It sort of stressed her out. She had waited patiently daily!!

Then it dawned on her that her fellow classmates were beginning a new semester, and you may think that watching boys meet world all day sounds a lot better than going to college!! But actually it's not! There is no feeling of accomplishment, no meaning to life. Why am I not joining my classmates at school today! I belong there! I don't want to go to Russia anymore! The thought makes me nervous, and stressed especially since currently I don't even have a way to Russia!!!

Ok, I feel better now, I just had to get that out, but I still miss school, even though I thought I would never say it.

2009... a year in review!

Well, 2009 has come and gone. Quickly too I might add so right now is as good as any to reflect upon this year and think about what has happened and what I have accomplished in this year of 2009. So here goes it

JANUARY

• I started my 4th semester of college
• Barrack Obama became president
• spent an hour one day trying to get my car door to shut after I opened it

FEBRUARY

• The Steelers won the superbowl (not that I really care)
• I participated in a spelling Bee on campus (I didn't win)
• my sister had jaw surgery
• I built mouses out of owl pellets in my living with wildlife class
• I went to a meeting about ILP, which first started my thoughts of going to Ukraine
• I went to my 1st and only USU hockey game, it was against the "U" and we creamed them

MARCH

• had spring break
• went to the draper temple open house
• saw a play musical spoof on high school musical in salt lake
• it was my parents 30th anniversary
• cleaned the sink at Angie's with my living with wildlife professor and some kids in my class
• trained for self-checkout at Maceys
• Attended hunters safety
• Attended draper temple dedication via satellite

APRIL

• I finished my CIL's
• my little brother got in a car accident but was fine

MAY

• Finished the semester of school
• Moved out of old farm D1 and into Old Farm O3
• got a raise at work
• went to Johnny's farewell and he left on his mission
• Took sign language online
• I became FHE coordinator for the summer
• went to CJ's farewell

JUNE

• locked myself out of my apartment
• CJ left on his mission
• went to Jackson Hole with the fam
• Troy got his mission call to the Phillipines
• Michael Jackson died
• I broke my camera

JULY

• Brooke and Jennie got their mission calls
• I met Elder Perry at Macey's
• went to the Oquirrh Mountain temple open house
• went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter 6
• got a new phone
• got family pictures
• applied to the ILP program
• got accepted into the ELED program

AUGUST

• Stayed up for over 24 hours the first time ever
• moved home for a few days only to
• move into continental
• attended the oquirrh mountain temple dedication via sattellite
• started my 3rd year 5th semester of college
• helped catch a moth in the middle of the night

SEPTEMBER

• bought a new laptop
• Troy left on his mission
• Jennie left on her mission
• Brooke left on her mission
• had the first snowfall of the season

OCTOBER

• got deathly sick for like a week
• Grant got home from his mission
• was a gangster for halloween

NOVEMBER

• blew out 2 tires on my car by hitting a curb
• turned 21
• Noah Joseph Jasperson was born
• kasi porter got married
• found out I was going to Russia instead of Ukraine

DECEMBER

• finished out the semester at college
• moved back home
• Maddie came home from China
• had my ILP training
• started working at the clearfield maceys
• enjoyed christmas with my family and talked to Troy

Anyway so how do I remember all of that, actually most of it I didn't but luckily I write in my journal often so I could remember

And why did I spend soo much time writing this post? Mainly because I'm bored

well now it's time to see what 2010 will bring us. Happy New Year